SAM CLARIDGE shot a course record 63 on his Harpenden Common course to win the Harpenden Open by 10 strokes. Over the Harpenden course earlier in the day he shot 70, and his two round total of 133 put him 10 shots clear of three players – Bill McIntyre (H

SAM CLARIDGE shot a course record 63 on his Harpenden Common course to win the Harpenden Open by 10 strokes.

Over the Harpenden course earlier in the day he shot 70, and his two round total of 133 put him 10 shots clear of three players - Bill McIntyre (Harpenden), recent runner-up in the Herts Senlor Championship, Rob Patterson (Berkhamsted) and Callum Shinkwin (Porters Park), who also broke the course record recently to win the West Herts Open.

HERTS BOYS finished third behind winners Surrey and runners-up Sussex in the South East Group Foursomes at Thetford.

In the two-day event, with nine counties playing each other, the Herts team of Stephen Payne (Aldwickbury Park), Tom and Sam Cutting (Berkhamsted), Jamie Rutherford (Knebworth), Daniel Ellis Banbury (Letchworth), Ben Rees (Mill Green) and Callum Shinkwin (Porters Park) finished with 10 match points to tie with Hampshire as Surrey totalled l5 and Sussex 12.

Herts under-14 boys gained emphatic victories in their two closing matches to maintain a 100 per cent record for the second successive year and retain their Home Counties title.

At Verulam they virtually guaranteed their league title in beating Berks, Bucks and Oxon 10-5 and Bedfordshire 111/2-31/2.

In the strong showing by the team, there were outstanding victories by Neal Pabari (Porters Park) 9&8 and 8&6 and by George Welsh (South Herts) with two 6&5 margins.

Two days later at North Middlesex, victories over Bedfordshire 121/2-21/2 and Middlesex 11-4 clinched the league title for the third year running with a clean sweep of victories.

Again, there were outstanding victories, notably by Neal Pabari by 7&5 and 5&4, George Welsh 8&6 and 5&4, Nick Ward (Redbourn) 6&5 and 5&4 and Joe Brooks (Brickendon Grange) 4&3 and 4&3.

For the second year the under-14s have won all their matches, with seven consecutive victories and overall games tally of 77-28.